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18 April 2017

Crisis support from Bristol Mental Health

Bristol Mental Health, in partnership with NHS Bristol Clinical
Commissioning Group (CGG), Bristol Independent Mental Health
Network (BIMHN), service users and carers, has made a number of
improvements to ensure that people experiencing a mental health
crisis get the right support they need faster.

Improving the telephone line for people in
crisis
The existing telephone line for people experiencing a mental
health crisis will remain open and will keep the same number. A new
call management system will be installed on 8 May 2017, which will
help people in mental health crisis to reach support faster and
others to reach an appropriate service. BMH also has a separate
telephone line for professionals to call if they are supporting
someone through a mental health crisis. This will remain open and
available 24 hours a day on its current number, too.

Developing a crisis card
Bristol Mental Health has coproduced a wallet-sized crisis card.
This can be used by service users if they experience a mental
health crisis and will assist anyone supporting individuals through
a mental health crisis. The card contains useful information, such
as the contact details for services and professionals, as well as
sections that service users can fill in with information to support
them during a mental health crisis.

Making Bristol Mental Health's website more
accessible
Bristol Mental Health's website has been redesigned to make it
more accessible, so that visitors can easily find the right service
to meet their needs or the needs of someone they're supporting.

Supporting frequent callers to the line
Work is ongoing to support individuals and organisations who call
the line frequently. This includes working with individuals and
other services supporting them, to help them access more
appropriate support.
These improvements are being made as BMH's telephone line for
people in crisis is being used for much more than its intended
purpose, which is to offer specialist intervention to people in
mental health crisis. This is making it harder for callers in
mental health crisis, as well as professionals supporting those in
mental health crisis, to get through.

Over a number of months, BMH and Bristol CCG have worked
collaboratively with BIMHN, service users and carers as part of a
project board that has identified the above solutions.

BMH and Bristol CCG are mindful that they must always be
responsive to the changing needs of the people they support.
Provisions for people in crisis, and anyone requiring mental health
support, will be monitored on an ongoing basis to ensure that
people always receive the best possible support.

Please email awp.bristolmanagementteam@nhs.net if you would like
any further information about this improvement work.

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